Question: What do MBA, JD and comedian have in common? Answer: Elaine Thompson.
A product developer at the Eagan, Minn. headquarters of Thomson Reuters, Legal, Thompson recently took her comedy show on the road … well, really in the air, by way of a United States C-130 military aircraft and a Black Hawk helicopter. Destination: Iraq … to entertain America’s finest.
Organized by Lone Wolf Entertainment, Thompson and two other comedians packed 11 shows into six days in April across military bases in southern Iraq. Traveling from base to base by Black Hawk helicopter, the trio treated more than 1,000 soldiers to an hour and a half of laughter – something those immersed in a war zone for months, sometimes years, saw as welcome moment of comic relief.
Supporting the troops was Thompson’s main reason for taking the gig. “The troops are just happy to see someone from home,” Thompson said. “Of course the natural adrenaline rush didn’t hurt.”
I asked Elaine about her trip and if any moments stood out. She quickly replied “the whole trip.” She continued, “You get there and it’s very intimidating – it was a culture shock – everyone was wearing camouflage and carrying around huge guns.” (You can hear her response to my question here.)
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Thompson has been performing for eight years. The self proclaimed introvert said, “A lot of people think comics are really outgoing and extroverted, but I’m the exact opposite – until I hit the stage.”
Read more about Thompson’s experience in this article in the Pioneer Press.
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